[Problems of recurrence and reoperations in discogenic lumboischiadic syndromes. 1]

During the period between Feb. 1 1982 and Dec. 31 1989 at the Neurosurgical Clinic in Kosice 2346 patients were operated (813 women and 1533 men) on account of discogenic lumboischiadic syndrome. Because of true relapses 79 patients were reoperated (29 women, 50 men), i.e., 3.37% of 2346 patients. These formed the investigated group. The youngest patient was 18 years old, the oldest 60 years, the mean age was 38.5 years. Check-up examinations, X-ray material and mathematical evaluation revealed that even marked deviations from the ideal weight according to Broca, balneotherapy, regular physical training and localization of the damaged disc did not influence the development of a true relapse which called for re-operation. The latter were significantly more frequent in subjects engaged in excessively hard physical work and those who developed a complication during the first operation.